3 Sealed with a Handshake

"No. I will not go on a honeymoon with that man."

"You don't even know him." Thresh replied in a calm voice but I could see he was getting frustrated; as was I.

"Exactly." I said emphatically, splaying my hand which then spasmed and I clenched it into a fist.

"It won't be a honeymoon in the classical sense. It's simply a test to see how safe you are outside of the Pack-"

"You're testing-using me as a guinea pig?" My eyes narrowed and my mind began to spin with thoughts and questions of why the hell Thresh would pull something like this.

"No." He answered firmly but he didn't make eye contact with me, "It is simply to see if you and James are able to live together and to see if any harm will come to you. I hope that you are not harmed but…" He sighed, "We need to know if he's still out there."

I stilled and my suspicions fled from my mind briefly and with a trembling voice I spoke, "He's dead."

"We have no proof that he was killed."

My mouth gaped open and cold swept through my body, "He died." I shook my head, 'He died.'

I looked up at the sound of someone clearing their throat and saw Thomas and… and James standing in the doorway.

"Come in." Thresh said," His eyes trained on James and said in his Alpha voice, "Do you accept the position of Gamma?"

"Yes, Alpha." His voice was also dark and cold. I closed my eyes in desperation. I missed Raph's sweet, kind, gentle voice.

"Do you accept Brooke as your mate?" Thresh asked but it wasn't a question, it was an order. Everyone in the room knew it.

"Yes, Alpha." James replied through gritted teeth. I tilted my head to the side, ever so slightly. At least he was also upset, but maybe that wouldn't bode well for me.

Thresh nodded, "You can come back tonight and sign the marriage certificate."

And just like that, I had a new mate.

Sitting back at home my mind was spinning with what this new addition to my life meant.

"Hey." Duma said softly as he came into the living room. I nodded and looked back out the window, my thoughts still tormented.

"So what happened? Heard you were called up to the Alpha's."

I nodded, "Yeah…" I closed my eyes and just said it, "Thresh has chosen a new mate for me." I opened my eyes and saw that Duma's mouth had fallen open then he narrowed his yellow eyes angrily, "How could he do that? That's just-that's just awful."

I scoffed and nodded, my right arm wasn't working at the moment so I asked Duma if he could water the plants. He nodded and after a few seconds he asked, "So, who is it?"

I sighed and my body grew colder, "The head hunter, James. He's also now the new Gamma."

He nodded and finished watering the plants. He then sat on the couch and turned on The Big Bang Theory.

We ate dinner at our usual time and after that Gloria drove me up to Thresh's house. Charm opened the door, a crying baby in her arms.

"Hello, honey." She said as she closed the door, "Are you alright?"

I nodded numbly and she folded her lips in sympathy and patted my back. After a few seconds of silence she sighed and said to follow her up the stairs.

When we got to Thresh's office it was empty. She patted the armchair and I sat, my tailbone immediately objecting. I winced and began to take some deep breaths. Charm immediately began to worry and I simply waved her away, "It's okay, I'm fine."

She didn't believe me but she backed off.

"I am sorry he is doing this." She said, readjusting her son in her arms, "I tried to reason with him but… he would not listen."

I nodded, my eyes on the piece of paper sitting on the desk.

"Why is he doing this?" I asked emphasizing the 'is'.

"He is doing it to protect you, in a way. Because Raphael is… gone, you are vulnerable. The Pack doesn't see you as well… as apart of the Pack. By agreeing to be James's, the new Gamma's mate it shows your dedication to the Pack. And, they should respect you." Charm answered, her hands clasped together. She was wearing studs along her pointed ears, all of them were shiny and sparkled in the light.

"But why the honeymoon?"

She smiled softly, "So that the Pack can see you are both united in this. We also are not sure if-"

"Yeah, yeah," I whispered, "Thresh already gave me that El-kor crap." Despite myself my voice quavered at saying his name.

Charm nodded, "It is simply a test."

Thresh then walked in, his eyes on his phone. With his hearing he'd most likely heard our conversation. I grasped my chest when I felt a stab of pain run through it. My first instinct was to inhale sharply but I knew it would just make it worse. I began to take shallow breaths. Usually Gloria or Paige helped when my old wounds flare up, but they weren't here.

"Brooke, are you alright?" Charm asked. I nodded and really wished I still had my gift, it would certainly help in situations like these where, every breath and word just makes the pain increase.

With a strained voice I said, "Collapsed lung, I'm fine."

Charm's eyes widened, "Do you need Gloria or-or Paige?"

I nodded my head, still in pain, but that's when Thresh announced the arrival of the new Gamma.

"Ah, James. We can get started then."

After Thresh scribbled on the marriage certificate he passed it across the desk and it was evident that he meant it was time for me and James to sign it.

I waved Charm away when she tried to help me and I stood, grabbing my chest as I did. Taking a shallow breath I walked to the desk and signed my name.

James did the same.

I sat back down and winced in pain. Oh, collapsed lungs were the worst.

"Instead of the usual method used to seal matrimony, you may now shake hands." Thresh said, his eyes on the marriage certificate while he wrote something else down. I just stared at him, keeping my emotions hidden. He had something else planned, I just knew it. This was all just a joke to him.

"Go on." I heard Charm say and I turned my head, doing my best to not wince. When I completed that simple task I saw his large and calloused hand stretched out, waiting for me.

I didn't want this, in fact, it was the last thing that I wanted at the moment. But I had a feeling that neither did he. I looked up at his dark eyes and swallowed, I felt a twisting in my stomach. This was so wrong!

With my eyes watching Thresh I placed my hand in his.